22 February, 2018Press release: launch of the Groningen site refuelling station

Under the High V.LO-City project, PitPoint clean fuels and QBuzz will officially launch the new hydrogen refuelling station for the Groningen site today (22nd February 2018).

Erik Kemink, CEO at PitPoint, said: ‘We are extremely pleased and proud to be part of this unique five-year pilot programme within the High V.LO-City project and to be able to contribute to the development of the hydrogen economy in the Northern Netherlands. This pilot project directly supports our company’s vision, which is to realise 100% clean transport in Europe by 2030, and clearly demonstrates the importance of collaboration and partnership to achieve this goal. Together we can put the required infrastructure, vehicles and funding in place to make hydrogen a viable zero-emission fuel. We firmly believe that hydrogen is one of the clean fuels that will be fundamental to reducing CO2 and to creating cleaner air in our cities worldwide.’

The hydrogen refuelling station has been built and will be operated by PitPoint clean fuels. AkzoNobel will supply PitPoint with hydrogen by pipeline. The hydrogen is a by-product from AkzoNobel’s chlorine production, produced sustainably by electrolysis, using electricity produced from wind energy. The hydrogen is therefore renewable and green, which is unique for the Netherlands. The refuelling station is located at the Chemie Park in Delfzijl, right next to the Akzo Nobel production plant. The Delfzijl refuelling station is PitPoint’s second hydrogen refuelling station development in Europe.

The Delfzijl refuelling station has been developed through an innovative public-private partnership between the OV-bureau for Groningen Drenthe, Qbuzz, AkzoNobel, Groningen Seaports, PitPoint, the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure, Public Works and Water Management, and the province of Groningen.

The launch of the station is paving the way towards the deployment of more fuel cell electric buses in the north east of the Netherlands. Fleur Gräper-Van Koolwijk, Regional Minister for the Province of Groningen, said: ‘The launch of this new hydrogen refuelling station is a great start for the further development of green hydrogen in the field of mobility and as such also for greening the economy as a whole in the Northern Netherlands.’

The refuelling station will service the two fuel cell electric buses currently operated between Delfzijl and Assen by Dutch bus operator QBuzz. The two Van Hool fuel cell electric buses are operated as substitutes to standard diesel buses. The refuelling station is located close to the QBuzz bus depot, ensuring a smooth and efficient operation of the buses on a daily basis.

Qbuzz CEO Gerrit Spijksma said: ‘Qbuzz is proud to be part of the transition to zero emission public transport in the provinces Groningen and Drenthe with our two hydrogen buses. The daily operation of these buses is a huge opportunity to show what hydrogen can mean as an energy carrier for public transport. Partnership with the project partners is the other benefit of this project. Participating in High V.L.O-City brings our knowledge to an even higher level’.

About the High V.LO-City project: cities speeding up the integration of hydrogen buses

The High V.LO-City project, coordinated by the bus manufacturer Van Hool, started in 2012 and will run until the end of 2019. During the course of the project, 14 buses will be operated in 4 locations: Aberdeen, Scotland (4 buses), Antwerp, Belgium (5 buses), San Remo, Italy (3 buses) and Groningen, Netherlands (2 buses). The 14 fuel cell hydrogen buses will be used as like-to-like replacement of conventional diesel buses and trolley buses. The key project objectives are to increase the energy efficiency of the buses and reduce the cost of ownership, as well as to demonstrate an operational availability of the buses equivalent to diesel (over 90%). Another objective of the project is to contribute to the commercialisation of fuel cell electric buses in Europe.

Since the start of the project, more than 800.000km have already been travelled by the buses and their daily operation is proving that fuel cell electric buses can be put in operation with the same level of efficiency and flexibility as diesel buses.

About the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking

The Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU) is a public-private partnership between the European Commission (DG Research and Innovation), Europe’s FCH industry (Hydrogen Europe) and research organisations (Hydrogen Europe Research), aiming at accelerating the market introduction of fuel cells and hydrogen technologies. For more information, please visit www.fch.europa.eu.

About PitPoint

PitPoint is an international provider of clean fuels, which aims to avoid emissions and make 100% clean transport possible by 2030. It designs, builds, finances, operates and maintains public and private filling stations for CNG, LNG, biomethane, hydrogen and electric charging points, for companies and governments. With more than a decade of experience as a clean fuels systems integrator, PitPoint has the data, know-how and resources required to make clean fuels available and affordable. For more information visit www.pitpoint.nl/en or contact Belinda Simmelink (belinda.simmelink@pitpoint.nl or +31 6 5744 3586).

About QBuzz

Qbuzz, the third operator of local public transport in the Netherlands, had a turnover of approximately 210 million euros in 2016 and EBIT of 9 million. Around 40% of its fleet is less than five years old; it has a total of 614 buses and 26 trams. In 2016 it transported approximately 160,000 passengers per day and it employs 1,670 people. Electronic ticketing, travel documents and client information are all integrated with other modes of public transport. For more information please visit https://qbuzz.nl

The High V.LO-City project has received funding from the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking under the European Union’s 7th Framework Programme under grant agreement n°278192